A liturgical suggestion:
257. For children of this age, at the rites during the process of initiation, it is generally preferable not to have the whole parish community present, but simply represented. Thus these rites should be celebrated with the active participation of a congregation that consists of a suitable number of the faithful, the parents, family, members of the catechetical group, and a few adult friends.
This might seem curious at first glance in some cultures in which children are accustomed to being in large community groups and adults are generally accepting of the presence of young people. Still, it can be good to have the flexibility for some cases in which personality of the child(ren) might suggest otherwise.
It seems as if the Church’s liturgical documents don’t avoid stresing the importance of “active participation.” Other comments?
